Dialectics, Self-consciousness, and Recognition

Hegel´s influence on post-Hegelian philosophy is as profound as it is ambiguous. Modern philosophy is philosophy after Hegel. Taking leave of Hegel´s system appears to be a common feature of modern and post-modern thought. One could even argue that giving up Hegel´s claim of totality defines philosophy after Hegel. Modern and post-modern philosophies are philosophies of finitude: Hegel´s philosophy cannot be repeated. However, its status as a negative backdrop for modern and post-modern thought already shows its pervasive influence. Precisely in its criticism of Hegel, modern thought is bound up with his thinking.